Use of Xylella fastidiosa strain EB92-1 to generate tolerance to HLB disease in citrus

Abstract

The subject invention pertains to methods for reducing the incidence or severity of citrus greening in desirable plants, such as orange trees, grapefruit trees, lime trees, lemon trees and the like.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of reducing the incidence or severity of  citrus  greening in a desirable plant comprising one or more administration(s) to said desirable plant of a composition comprising  Xylella fastidiosa  strain EB92-1 deposited with the American Type Culture Collection under accession number PTA-5370. 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , said desirable plant is selected from the group consisting of  Citrus sinensis, C. limon, C. latifolia, C. paradisi, C. aurantium, C. reticulata, Citrus sinensis  Osbeck (L.),  C. clementina, C. aurantifolia , hybrids and relatives selected from Citranges, Citrumelos, Citrandarins,  Balsamocitrus dawei, C. maxima, C. jambhiri, Clausena indica, C. lansium, Triphasia trifolia, Swiniglea glutinosa, Micromellum tephrocarpa, Merope  spp.,  Eremolemon, Atalantia  spp.,  Severinia buxifolia, Microcitrus  spp.,  Fortunella  spp.,  Calodendrum capense, Murraya  spp. and  Poncirus trifoliate.    
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the desirable plant is a  citrus  tree that is a seed-grown tree or a grafted tree, or rootstock grafted with budwood. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition is administered by injection into the trunk of said desirable plant or mechanically disrupting leaves to allow the pathogen to enter the xylem and/or phloem of the plant or a pin-pricking technique to introduce the pathogen into a susceptible plant. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the desirable plant exhibits signs of  citrus  greening. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said desirable plant is infected with  Candidatus Liberibacter  spp.,  Ca. africanus , and/or  Ca. L. americanus.    
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the desirable plants exhibit no symptoms; minor leaf mottling; or more severe mottling and small fruit. 
     
     
       8. A method of producing groves resistant to  citrus  greening comprising the one or more administrations of a composition comprising  Xylella fastidiosa  strain EB92-1 deposited with the American Type Culture Collection under accession number PTA-5370 to young seedlings or rootstock or a desirable plant prior to and/or after transplantation of said young seedlings or rootstock or desirable plant into a grove exhibiting symptoms of  citrus  greening. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , said young seedling or rootstock or desirable plant is selected from the group consisting of  Citrus sinensis, C. limon, C. latifolia, C. paradisi, C. aurantium, C. reticulata, Citrus sinensis  Osbeck (L.),  C. clementina, C. aurantifolia , hybrids and relatives selected from Citranges, Citrumelos, Citrandarins,  Balsamocitrus dawei, C. maxima, C. jambhiri, Clausena indica, C. lansium, Triphasia trifolia, Swinglea glutinosa, Micromellum tephrocarpa, Merope  spp.,  Eremolemon, Atalantia  spp.,  Severinia buxifolia, Microcitrus  spp.,  Fortunella  spp.,  Calodendrum capense, Murraya  spp. and  Poncirus trifoliate.    
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said composition is administered by injection into the trunk of said seedling or rootstock or desirable plant or mechanically disrupting leaves to allow the pathogen to enter the xylem and/or phloem of the seedling or rootstock or desirable plant or a pin-pricking technique to introduce the pathogen into the seedling or rootstock or susceptible desirable plant. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 8 , said method comprising multiple administrations of said composition to said seedling or rootstock or desirable plant. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the administrations of said compositions are separated by about 0.5 to about 50 years. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said groves are infected with  Candidatus Liberibacter  spp.,  Ca. africanus , and/or  Ca. L. americanus.    
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said young seedlings are treated with said one or more administrations of said composition prior to and/or after transplantation into said grove exhibiting symptoms of  citrus  greening. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said rootstock is treated with said one or more administrations of said composition prior to and/or after transplantation into said grove exhibiting symptoms of  citrus  greening. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said desirable plant is treated with said one or more administrations of said composition prior to and/or after transplantation into said grove exhibiting symptoms of  citrus  greening.